Nietzschean Truths
by Sciencefictionsquirrel
Summary: Amid high tensions between the Nietzschean Empire and the Commonwealth, the Andromeda encounters a group of Nietzscheans claiming to be of Pride Museveni, who do not believe the prophecy. Their leader asks the Commonwealth for help. Full summary inside


Nietzschean Truths

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Andromeda. Unfortunately, all I own is a legitimately-purchased copy of the series. There is no profit being made from this story and I am just borrowing the concepts and characters for it.

Summary: Tamerlane Anasazi, now an adult by Nietzschean and human standards, has assumed his place as Nietzschean Messiah and leader of the prides. It appears that the Nietzschean Empire will soon make a strike against the Restored Systems Commonwealth, which, even bolstered by the return of the Vedrans and several hundred more worlds joining, may not be able to stand against the threat. When the Andromeda is approached by a small fleet of ships that are vaguely Nietzschean in design, the crew is startled to learn that these ships are of the Pride Museveni, long believed to be extinct. The Alpha of Pride Museveni, a direct descendant of Drago's by the name of Odysseus Museveni, asks that his pride, long hidden and biding their time to build up numbers that rival the Drago-Katzov, be allowed to sign the charter. In return, the entire considerable might of Pride Museveni will be made available to the Commonwealth. However, Odysseus also makes a personal request, particularly of Beka: that the Commonwealth in general and the Matriarch in particular support him as the rightful leader of the Nietzschean people and as Drago Museveni's true heir.

Chapter One: Common Strife

Captain Dylan Hunt stood on the Command Deck of the Andromeda Ascendant, watching the image on the screen. It was a message, a repeating transmission from a radio buoy that bore the symbol of the united Nietzschean prides. Tamerlane Anasazi had reached adulthood and claimed his seat as the Nietzschean Messiah and Drago Museveni's genetic reincarnation. All the major and nearly all the minor prides had flocked to him and gathered beneath the banner of the Nietzschean Empire. Their combined forces were at least a match for the Restored Systems Commonwealth, even with the welcome return of the Vedrans. Added to that, the Pyrians had begun putting pressure on the borders of the Commonwealth, fearing intrusions into their space. It had been several years since the defeat of the Abyss; almost 15, by Dylan's count. The Commonwealth had swelled to more than 3000 worlds, mostly smaller worlds and alliances. The most significant part. of the Commonwealth, given the present circumstances, was the presence of several small Nietzschean prides within it.

On the screen, the image showed the massacre of an entire supply convoy that the Nietzscheans claimed had violated their space without permission and that their subsequent actions were merely out of protection, according to the voice-over warning that advised against further violations of the Nietzschean borders. Dylan had already called up the previously claimed borders of the Nietzschean Empire and noted that the supply convoy had been well outside them, almost ten light-years inside Commonwealth space.

"Damn Nietzscheans. They're claiming more space than is theirs and no one's doing anything about it." he cursed.

Andromeda's hologram appeared. "Dylan, you have to remember that they're easily a match for us under ordinary circumstances, and these aren't ordinary because we have to keep the Pyrian border guarded. Unless someone with a substantial fleet suddenly pops up and offers to sign the charter out of the blue, we just don't have the forces to enforce the boundaries here."

Beka was shaking with anger. "I say we fly right to Enga's Redoubt and Nova bomb the system without warning, then fly to and destroy every Nietzschean-controlled system within a thousand light-years of the Commonwealth borders." she said, already programming the coordinates for Enga's Redoubt into the computer.

Harper readily agreed. "Yeah, boss." he said, nodding emphatically.

"No." Dylan said simply, turning to them. "We aren't exactly able to sneak around. Even if we did do that, the Nietzscheans would either destroy us before we got the chance and use it as a reason to go to war, or we'd make it through one system before the Nietzscheans caught up to us and destroyed us, then used it as reason to go to war with the Commonwealth."

Andromeda-viewscreen mode appeared. "Dylan, I'm detecting multiple slipstream events. The ships appear to be of Nietzschean design, bearing the Drago-Katzov and United Nietzschean Empire markings, and are arming weapons. They're also hailing us."

"Onscreen. Mr. Harper, arm weapons but don't fire unless I order you to or they fire first." Dylan said. Andromeda-viewscreen disappeared, to be replaced by an image of a Nietzschean male. He was tall, with short-cropped red hair, green eyes, and tanned skin.

"Greetings, Captain Hunt. I am Julius Creed, out of Circe by Agamemnon, of the Drago-Katzov Pride. What brings you into our territory?"

"I see you recognize me. We were investigating the disappearance of a supply convoy passing through this area, a convoy which your message buoy says you claim credit for."

"Of course. They entered our space without permission. We were protecting ourselves."

"It was an unarmed relief supply convoy carrying medical supplies to a colony world! And you deliberately entered Commonwealth space to destroy it."

"Captain Hunt, you know as well as I do that this is Nietzschean space now. We have recently established colonies in the area. We sent the claims to your superiors on Tarn-Vedra. It appears that they failed to update you on the situation. And you're violating our borders as well. I'm going to give you one chance to leave or surrender before we open fire and destroy you. And don't even think about fighting back. We've got you outnumbered, outclassed, and outgunned. So just power down your weapons, turn around, and leave, and you get to live."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. You see, we in the Commonwealth don't take kindly to bullies. And you obviously underestimate us. Mr. Harper, how powerful are our newly upgraded weapons?"

"Strong enough to at least show those Ubers that we can take most of them down with us. Hell, we could probably bring it down to a one-on-one fight and maybe even end it in MAD. That's mutually assured destruction, for all you stupid Ubers who don't know." Harper said proudly.

Just as Julius was about to give the order to fire, his eyes widened at the same time Rommie spoke. "I'm detecting multiple additional slipstream events, Captain. I can't identify their origin. Their weapons are armed."

"Reinforcements already, Hunt? You must've been planning an ambush. Well, we can still take you. Fire all weapons!" Julius ordered.

"Counterstrike!" Dylan commanded.

"That may not be necessary. The unidentified ships are firing on the Nietzschean vessels, Captain . . . but not us." Rommie said at the same moment.

"What the . . .?" was the response Dylan gave as a barrage of missiles slammed into the ten Nietzschean vessels and destroyed them.

"They're in visual range, Captain. Cross-referencing identifying markings within existing databases." Andromeda-hologram said as a close-up of one of the ship's hulls was brought into focus on the main viewscreen.

Andromeda looked surprised as her results came in and Telemachus' expression was one of surprise as well as he saw the hull markings.

"This can't be right, Captain. If my results are accurate, then those ships are Nietzscheans from-"

Telemachus spoke at the same moment as Rommie finished. "Pride Museveni."


End file.
